How to recruit and retain fundraising talent

It’s no secret that charities are struggling to recruit and retain fundraisers.

In a recent article, Third Sector claimed that as many as 53% of charities are trying to find staff for “hard-to-fill vacancies”.

But what’s causing the problem and what can you do to ensure you find (and hold onto) fundraising talent?

Let’s take a deep dive.

The problem

One reason why the charity sector is struggling comes down to maths. Quite simply, it can’t compete with public and private sector salaries. As attractive as charity work may be, the lower salaries make the work unfeasible for some – particularly in the wake of the cost-of-living crisis.

But aside from salary, another major factor in the current recruitment crisis is the impact of the pandemic.

The impact of COVID-19

The charity sector was one of the hardest hit during the pandemic. For almost two years, face-to-face fundraising was a no-go, events were put on hold, but demand was higher than ever.

The result? According to a report from the Charity Commission, 60% of charities saw a loss of income, 32% experienced a shortage of volunteers and over 90% experienced some negative impact, whether in their service delivery, finances, or staff morale, resulting from months of frustration and uncertainty.

To put it in context, between them, Cancer research and the National Trust reported a shortfall of more than £300m, according to a report released in October 2021.

Those are two of the biggest players in the charity sector, so what about smaller organisations?

According to Small Charities Data, the Covid-19 crisis ‘radically reshaped the work of small charities. Around half have had to adapt or reduce the way their services are delivered, and many unfunded charities have been unable to continue delivering services’.

The Great Resignation

The uncertainty, stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic (and multiple lockdowns) caused many people to re-evaluate their priorities, leading to staff quitting jobs en-masse in what has been dubbed ‘The Great Resignation’. Data suggests that as many as 391,000 UK workers resigned from jobs across all industries between July and September 2021, citing burnout, pandemic stress, low-pay, and poor management as reasons (amongst others).

As a result, people have become choosier about the jobs they apply for and the employers they work for.

What effect is this having on employers?

According to HR News, the Great Resignation affected 85% of UK businesses. 32% of employers said they’d struggled to attract new talent, whilst 31% have struggled to retain staff.

It’s not just the charity sector that has been affected, but increased competition is driving up salaries, and unlike corporate organisations, many charities can’t afford to throw another £10k on top of the advertised salary to boost appeal.

Volunteers Down

And it’s not only paid staff that are hard to come by. Volunteer levels have dropped by 24% in the last three years, with charity shop volunteers falling from over 100,000 in 2019, to around 76,000.

What’s the solution?

It’s not all doom and gloom. Sure, the statistics don’t paint a rosy picture but there are things you can do to turn it around.

Here are a few pointers.

Be flexible

At the top of many candidates' list of wants from an employer is flexibility. They want to be able to attend family get-togethers and watch their children in the school play. They don’t want to be constricted by 9-5 hours.

Allow your employees to take time out for important moments and they’ll be more willing to go above and beyond when needed. And be open to remote/hybrid working if the role allows. If you aren’t, you’ll lose high-calibre candidates to those employers who are.

Include all the perks in your job ads

Some of our clients offer great benefits, such as 10% non-contributory pensions, automatic annual salary increases, and various other perks that they don’t publicise.

What they don’t realise is these benefits could swing it for some candidates, who might otherwise dismiss the role out of hand.

Shout about all the perks on offer. It could make all the difference.

Consider the salary

Are you promoting a role at £39,500 and not attracting the calibre of candidates you want? Consider increasing it to £40k.

Milestones like £30k, £40k and £50k are important to jobseekers. If you’re struggling and the budget allows, round the salary up and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Change the job title

Job titles are important to people. For many, a job title is an important part of their identity - it’s a way to signal to their network and potential employers what they’ve done, what they know and how far they’ve come.

When it comes to career progression, the right job title can mean the difference between the candidate feeling valued.

If you don’t have the budget to increase their salary, can you improve their job title? Make a Trust Fundraiser a Senior Trust Fundraiser? This can be as meaningful as extra pennies in the bank at the end of the month.

Recognise achievements

Employees want to feel valued, respected and supported at work. So be sure to thank them for a job well done. You can take this a step further by acknowledging individual achievements publicly, in team meetings, on the intranet, or on your social media pages.

A little appreciation costs nothing but goes a long way.

Reward success

A lack of opportunities to progress is a common reason why people quit their jobs.

Ensure your team (and new recruits) know that there’s room to grow within your organisation, and that promotions are there for those willing to put in the work.

It’ll give them something to strive for, and a reason to stick around.

Health and wellbeing

A supportive working environment is one of the most important things you can provide, especially post-pandemic. Being there to listen to your staff and support their physical and mental wellbeing will keep morale and motivation high.

If you don’t have a health and wellbeing strategy in place, make it a priority.

Final Word

These are just a few ways charities can retain and recruit talented fundraisers in the current candidate-driven market.

Remember, we’re here to support your recruitment needs. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 to get the conversation started.